The do nothing machine
by Sassafrazgecko
Summary: "Gladstone I don't know how to tell you this but...dad died..." ..."Gladstone?..." - - In honor of Ludwig Von drake R.I.P
1. Chapter 1

Gladstone was having a normal carefree day with winning lottery tickets, Luck pennies, Free this and free that. Yup Gladstone had the ideal life...

Except...

He's always alone and today things were going to get a lot harder.

He had just returned home after selling his blimp for a million dollars when he heard his phone on the table vibrating,

"Unknown Caller"

probably a contest he won or a cute girl calling the wrong number, he answered "Hello".

"Hey...Gladstone...I uh...I don't- it's molly...von drakes daughter...do you remember me?"

"Oh yeah, hey molly what's up?"He asked.

"I don't know how to tell you this.."She stuttered so much he could tell she was crying, something was definitely wrong.

"Dad died".

"I'm sorry what? No that can't be, I talked to the professor a few days ago"He said.

"He had a heart attack, he couldn't make it through the night."

"..."

"...Gladstone?..."

"..."

This can't be true...

It can't be.

The professor was strong, even for an old man, he exercised daily, he had always eaten a balanced diet since Gladstone knew they guy.

Besides he took Gladstone in when nobody else would, he raised him, he helped people all the time, he spent his whole life trying to make the world better...how could someone like that just die?

Gladstone thought about when his parents died,

it was his birthday...

it was his fault, if he never bragged about his good luck to Donald he never would've tied him to the barn, in the rain, and he would've never been cursed.

His parents never would've went on that picnic...

And they would've never eaten that food...

"The poor dear, He hadn't said a word all day"Gladstone heard Grandma duck say, he listened to everyone from upstairs.

"Yeah that's rough"Quackmore said "I couldn't imagine".

"What's goin te' happen to the lad now?"Scrooge asked.

"I'm not sure..."Grandma sighed "His parents didn't have a will. I was sorta hoping you'd take him".

"You canne be serious, I'm no good with loud mouth youngins."

"Well I could definitely take him"Grandma Duck said "Except I need someone to watch him when I leave town, it'll be hard to mange but we'll adjust, we always do".

"What about quackmore?"Scrooge asked.

"No way Scrooge!"He said "We already have our hands full with two"

"Besides.."Hortense said "Gladstone and Donald don't get along, the last thing we need is such burden..."

"Look- it's been a long day, I'll keep Gladstone with me tonight and we'll discuss this tomorrow"She said.

After everyone had left, Gladstone walked downstairs to the kitchen to get something to drink but then heard this:

"Maybe we could take him".

His ears must've been mistaken, Ludwig von drake?

"Are you crazy? At your age?"He heard Aunt Matilda say.

"Age? Pah! I've never felt younger"He said.

"You don't know what your getting yourself into"The said.

"Matilda, I had three children, I would never want someting like this to happen to them..."

She smiled, sighing she took his hand and nodded "There you go again...trying to fix a very broken world."

Nobody asked them to, but they took him in anyway...and he didn't make it easy either. They gave him everything he needed in life, and though its sad to say...Gladstone never thank the professor for what he did...

He was only ten...he had no idea how hard this was on them. First his friend passes away then...he had to take care of a spoiled child who never gave them a chance...

If he could go back and do life again...he'd thank him for everything.

"Gladstone?"Grandma Duck knocked on his door.

"Come in"He said softly, he's lucky she heard him.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I don't know"He said, she sat on the bed next to him and stroked the feathers on his head "Your aunt and the professor have offered to let you live with them"She said.

Gladstone didn't say anything...

"They're great people, they live downtown duckburg..where your cousins Donald and Della and your Uncle Scrooge lives too".

Still no response.

"Sweetheart I know your hurting right now but I think you should give them a chance. Alright?"

"..."

"Gladstone..."

Gladstone sighed, he knew that he had to say something "Ok".

"That's my boy"She said smiling "It'll take time but it gets easier".

The next day Grandma duck took Gladstone to his new "Home" it was a very nice house, they knocked on the door and they were greeted by matilda "Hello Gladstone, Mrs Duck".

"Oh no need for formality dear, you call me grandma Duck like everyone else, we are family you and I".

Matilda smiled and turned her attention to Gladstone "Gladstone, your room is upstairs, second door on the right".

He looked at Grandma Duck who gestured him to go upstairs, he did as he was told while Matilda and Elmira talked "Would you like something to drink? I have lemonade"Matilda offered.

"That is very kind of you dear, thank you"She said "I really appreciate what you're doing for Gladstone. The poor thing has lost so much".

"Honestly I was very hesitant on the idea, I never had children. But Ludwig insisted that it would all be ok, and I trust him."

"He is very kind"Elmira said.

"Always trying to change the world for the better"Matilda said.

Elmira reached out her hand and placed in on Matildas "It will all be alright dear, remember. It just takes time."


	2. Chapter 2

"Gladstone?..."

"Gladstone?...can you hear me?"

Gladstone snapped out of his flashback "Yeah...sorry...I'm so so sorry".

"He lived a good life..."She sighed.

"Yeah...he did."

"Matilda just wanted me to let you know. The funeral is this Sunday, I'll text you the details when I can".

"Thanks".

He hung up the phone. He was still kinda processing this...

He never thought he'd have to worry about this...

He supposed part of being the lucky one means loosing a lot of unlucky people...

That's worse the actually dying...

Still being here...

"You stay right there until the professor gets back,"Matilda said sharply as the professor walked in "He can handle you after that because I've had it up to here with you".

She heard the door close and walked back into the living room "What happened?"The professor asked.

"He was called to the principals office for being disruptive in class, fighting with another student and for talking back to another teacher and then he talked back to me "She said "He's all yours now".

"Alright Matilda I'll handle him"He said.

He walked into the dinning room where Gladstone was, he was doing his homework on the dinning room table "Gladstin".

Gladstone looked up at him, he was preparing himself for the yelling yet to come.

But instead he spoke calmly "Vha'te happened at school?"He asked.

Gladstone took a deep breath, he didn't answer...

"Gladstin...I know you had de rough week but'e it doesn't give you ze' right to be disrespectful to an educator and it most definitely doesn't give you ze' right to talk back to ye aunt. She's worked so hard to help you dis past week and she's been very patient. You treat her wit ze' respect she deserves."

Gladstone was a little confused "Yes sir"He said.

The professor sighed and rubbed his eyes "Vat are we' goin'te do wit you?"He asked.

Gladstone shrugged.

"Tell me, vat vould yer parents do if this happened back home."

This really surprised him...most people don't talk to Gladstone about his parents, he never understood why they didn't. The professor just stared at Gladstone patiently and awaited the answer.

Gladstone shrugged again "Yell at me I guess". That's what happened every time, his father would yell at him and his mother would defend him which resulted in them fighting.

The professor sighed "Vell vhat do you suggest we dos?"

He asked him? Why did he ask the child what his own punishment should be? This makes no sense. He shrugged once again, he started to get worried on what would happen next.

"Grab yar verkbooks and yar backpack, you're coming wit me"He said then walked away.

Gladstone did as he was told, grabbed all his stuff and waited for him.

The professor took him to his lab, he told Gladstone to sit at the counter and finish his homework, he was working on it for a while, as the professor worked on something else.

How was this a punishment? And how was this any different then back at The Professors house?

After a while Gladstone was finished with his work and just stayed quiet. As a kid he thought everything was unfair and this was boring and he didn't deserve to be treated this way...

As an adult he realized...He got off easy.

"Gladstin, vat are yous doing?"The professor asked.

"Sorry..."He said "I'm done with my homework so I was just waiting"He apologized in hopes that the professor wouldn't be mad.

"Are yu sure you're done?"He asked, Gladstone nodded, "vell may I have a look?"He asked.

Gladstone shrugged and handed him the work.

"Uh huh, mmmhmm, uh huh, very interesting"He said "You are very bright boy gladstin"He said.

Gladstone frowned and didn't say anything.

"Vould you likes to see vat I've been verking on?"The professor asked.

Gladstone shrugged "Sure, I guess".

The professor smiled "Alrighty then, follows the professor."

The professor was always a nut case, a very intelligent nutcase, the professor always said that 'It is better to be yourself then meet the expectations that everyone wants you to be' which is very cliché but he played the part well.

"Here is my Elliptic Trammel".

"What does it do?"Gladstone asked.

"generates the shape of an ellipse. It consists of two shuttles which are confined to perpendicular channels or rails and a rod which is attached to the shuttles by pivots at fixed positions along the rod. As the shuttles move back and forth, each along its channel, the end of the rod moves in an elliptical path. The semi-axes a and b of the ellipse have lengths equal to the distances from the end of the rod to each of the two pivots."

"So nothing. It's a do nothing machine. Congratulations".

"Well I suppose that's another word for it"He laughed.

He looked back at Gladstone, he was sitting at the desk again looking more sorrowful then before "Gladstin is everything alright?"

He nodded.

"Vat is it boy?"He asked.

"You don't like me do you?"He asked.

The professor sighed "Vell I canne say I know you very well but-"

"It's true! You adopted me because of my luck? Just like everyone else?"

"Gladstin, luck doesn't exist."

"Doesn't exists?"Gladstone laughed "wait...you're serious?"

He was serious, he doesn't think his luck is real..then why did he adopt him?

Gladstone could never understand that and he still can't...

"Donald?...hey I'll be in town this weekend and I wondered if the kids wanted to see me".

"Uhh"

"I'll be staying at a motel, don't worry".

"Oh ok well...sure the boys will be thrilled".

"Great, I'll see you Saturday".


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Text

"Ugh why do I have to go to this again?"Della asked Donald who was trying to iron his suit.

"Honestly Della you're worse then the children!"He said.

"I was struggling to get off the moon for this?"

"Yes, interesting how life works. How could you be so insensitive? He was our uncle".

She groaned "Fine, but could we stop for ice cream on the way back?"

Donald rubbed his eyes while shaking his head slowly "Sure".

"Yeah!"shouted happily then ran back downstairs after suddenly hearing a knock at the door.

Donald looked up at the ceiling "You know I was perfectly content with three kids, I don't need a fourth"He hoped at this point something would happen "...nothin?"He sighed "Ok".

"Mr gander, welcome".

"Hey mrs B, how's it hanging?"

Everyone was downstairs to greet Gladstone as beakley answered the door, the kids ran to him and as usual asking ten million questions.

"Uncle Gladstone, guess what? Moms back! And she taught me how to fly a plane!"Dewey said.

"Wow that's great dew-"

"Uncle Gladstone, do you have anything for me?"Louie asked.

"Well I-"

"Mr gander is it true that your mother was just as lucky as you? And is it hard to talk about her?"

"What is this an interview? First off Webby you don't have to call me that, second we'll have plenty of time to catch up, just one at a time alright?"Gladstone would never admit this out loud but he liked the kids, even Webby, it always felt like home when he visited them. He actually use to be slightly jealous that Donald had kids and he didn't. But by the end of the day he'd be thankful he doesn't have kids.

Della stepped forward "Hi Gladstone".

"Oh, Della, hi, I heard you were back. Uh Good job at repairing the spear and all that"Sadly Dellas presence didn't spark any good memories but instead made him dread the fact she was here, he never acted like he cared but he did care about the kids. What kind of mother abandons her kids?

"Uh thanks?"

There was a long awkward pause, till Gladstone decided to devote his attention on the kids instead of her. Not that he didn't like her or that he didn't want to talk to her but they never exactly got along in the past why would they now?

A little later, the gang was chilling in the living room talking. It's been far too long since he's done this.

"So Gladstone what brings you to town?"Webby asked.

"I'm here for Von drakes funeral"He answered as if he barley knew him, As if he were just an acquaintance.

"Ludwig Von drake died?!"Webby asked "Why didn't anyone tell me?!"

"I'm sorry lass, I just didn'te want'e worry ye"Scrooge said.

"That's so horrible!"

"Nah, he lived a good long life, boy did he. He would want us to celebrate his accomplishments instead of mourning"Gladstone said.

Della was surprised, she's never seen Gladstone so sympathetic or supportive.

"Can I come to the funeral!"She asked.

"No, you and the boys are staying here with Fenton".

"Fenton?"Gladstone asked.

"He works for me, we couldn't get anyone else"Scrooge explained.

"Trust me it's perfectly fine"Donald said.

"Uh huh well I should probably get going, I need to check into a hotel".

"Aww"

"I'll probably see you tomorrow, bye kids!"

"Bye uncle Gladstone!"

Della walked out with him "I didn't know you were a kid person"She said.

He wanted to say 'I didn't know you were either' but it was better not to cause drama. "I'm not, but it's hard not to like yours."

"Are you ok?"She asked.

"Yes Della, I'm fine."

"Ok..you changed quite a bit since I last saw you."

"And you haven't changed at all".


	4. Chapter 4

Gladstone arrived at the church right on time, mostly so nobody would try and talk to him, he couldn't stop being the Gladstone everyone knew him to be, the self obsessed, lazy, charming Gladstone everyone knew.

Almost everyone at least...

It was well over seven months after his parents died and the Von drakes took him in. Something had happened at school and Ludwig was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Gladstone...I'm not going te ask you again"Gladstone had never seen the professor this angry before in his life, he wasn't sure the professor was ever angry.

"Gladstone...Where did you get the black eye?"

He was too scared to answer, not only because of the way the professor looked at him but also that if he might lose a friend.

"A-A kid at school"Tears started to pour down his face, his hand was shaking as he tried to hold the ice pack against his eye. Gladstone remembered that he hated himself for crying like a baby.

Ludwig probably noticed because he took a deep breath and lowered his voice "Now now child calm yarself. Who did it?"

Why was it so hard to say so? Gladstone didn't want anyone hurt, especially his friend. "Just a friend at school..."He mumbled.

"A friend?"He asked "Gladstone tell me the truth was it an accident or on purpose?"

How could he lie after everything he's already done for him? "He..he didn't want to hurt me, we were just playing around."

He seemed to understand "Gladstone a friend that hurts you like that is no friend at all".

"He's the only one I got"The other kids hated him, luck didn't get you friends and luck couldn't stop people from hurting you. At least not all the time.

"What about yer cousins?"The professor asked. Gladstone couldn't say anything, Donald and Della were not any better then the others.

"Trust me on this one Gladstone, it doesn't matter how many friends you have or don't have. One of the worst things you can do is letting someone use you so you can be friends. It only leads to no good in the future". Gladstone always remembered that, that's mostly why he's alone all the time. He wouldn't let someone hurt him again.

"I deserved it"Gladstone said sniffling "He said so. He said I was selfish and inconsiderate and didn't deserve to be here"Yes, as a ten year old he believed that. He wasn't always the Gladstone everyone knew, or the Gladstone everyone saw.

"That's not true Gladstone"The professor said. Gladstone didn't believe him. "Yer worth something far more then that."

Gladstone couldn't respond...

Nobody ever told him he was worth something... without believing in his luck that is.

He never asked him what he meant by that.

"We are here to pay tribute to Ludwig Von Drake, An Amazing scientist, inventor, Husband, Father and Friend."

Gladstone was technically supposed to sit next to Von drakes kids but felt that was slightly inappropriate considering he wasn't really his son.

There was a open seat next to grandma duck, he figured that was his best bet.

"Did I miss anything?"He asked sitting down.

"No, oh honey I was worried you wouldn't make it"Grandma duck said.

"Well I wasn't doing anything important today."

She rolled her eyes "Oh Gladstone, you can pretend not to care all you want but I know the truth. You can't hide from me"She whispered.

"Why did you adopt me?"Gladstone asked, at twelve years old, two years since his parents died.

The professor was at his desk, they just had an huge argument. Gladstone was with his 'Friends' and it resulted in them getting arrested for vandalism.

He didn't look up, didn't look at Gladstone, he just continued looking at his work. "Why do you think we adopted you?"The professor asked.

"I can't think of a logical explanation"Gladstone said, he got into the habit of using fancy words to try and impress Ludwig. He wouldn't admit that though.

"Gladstone, if you keep thinking you're not worthy of love you won't ever be truly happy. If you think you're worth more then you are, you won't be loved."

"So what am I supposed to think?"

"I can't tell you what to think, I just tell you what I know. Help your aunt in the kitchen alright?"

Gladstone nodded even though he couldn't see him. He never asked again.

"If anyone has any stories they'd like to share about Ludwig, please come up".

"Gladstone, why don't you say something?"Grandma asked.

"I don't have anything to say"He said.

"Alright dear, I'll see you at the mansion afterwards?"She asked.

"Yeah, I'll be there."

Afterwards Matilda approached Gladstone "Gladstone."

"Aunt Matilda, my condolences".

She slightly smiled "We found the professors will and-"

"It's ok!"He said "I don't want any of it, don't worry about me".

"He left you only one thing"She handed him a weird box with a Handle.

The do nothing machine.

"Here is my Elliptic Trammel".

"What does it do?"

"generates the shape of an ellipse. It consists of two shuttles which are confined to perpendicular channels or rails and a rod which is attached to the shuttles by pivots at fixed positions along the rod. As the shuttles move back and forth, each along its channel, the end of the rod moves in an elliptical path. The semi-axes a and b of the ellipse have lengths equal to the distances from the end of the rod to each of the two pivots."

"So nothing. It's a do nothing machine. Congratulations".

"Well I suppose that's another word for it".

Despite his promise, he left as soon as he could, back to his hotel room, he just wanted to be alone.


End file.
